Old
Pick ’n Save thorn in Grafton’s side
Grafton eyeing strategies for several buildings

By Melanie Boyung - News Graphic Staff

July 18,
2017

A
laser tag business once considered moving into the
former Pick ’n Save building,
which has been empty since
2009.Photo by Mark Justesen

GRAFTON — A former Mexican
restaurant building and a private home are
among the properties being eyed for
redevelopment in Grafton.

The village’s Community
Development Authority heard from staff
earlier this month about the state of the
downtown and the south commercial district
areas. Village Planner Jessica Wolff and
Village Administrator Jesse Thyes also
talked about development opportunities for
the sites.

“The village has made
significant headway, completing significant
projects downtown,” Wolff said, referencing
such recent developments as the Lumberyard
1505 retail and residential project on
Wisconsin Avenue and Beech Street.

The downtown sites discussed
were a residential home, the former Grafton
State Bank building and the abandoned Clark
Station.

The Clark Station, at 1020
Washington St., has been empty for more than
a year; the owners left the business with
the merchandise inside and gas still in the
underground tanks.

The
former Grafton State Bank building at 1234 12th Ave. was
constructed in 1926.Photo by Mark Justesen

“The owners are out of the
country and not expected to return,” Wolff
said.

She told the CDA that the
owners have not been paying taxes, but the
bank that owns the mortgage does not want to
foreclose and become responsible for the
property’s issues with the gas tanks. The
state is aware of the problem and has prioritized the site,
according to Thyes, but the village has no
word on what will be done or when.

“There are a lot of unknowns
about this site, and that makes it
difficult,” Wolff said.

A Grafton police officer watches as village workers
clean up the Clark Station after the owner refused to
comply with an order to do so.Photo by Deb Kranitz

CDA members said the site is
important because of its visibility, but
could be difficult to redevelop because of
the gas tanks and size of the lots.

The residential home
discussed is south of the Grafton Mill, and
the village has earmarked the location for
additional downtown parking. Wolff told the
CDA there are residents currently in the
home and they are not intending to move in
the immediate future, but the family is
aware the village would like to purchase the
property. If or when that occurs, the
village intends to create a parking lot.

“Activity levels are only
going to increase downtown … I think we need
to continue supporting that active
downtown,” Wolff said.

While it has been some years
since a parking study was done, Wolff and
Thyes said the need isn’t likely to go down
as development increases. Wolff said that
project has been on the books and budgeted
by the village for some time, whenever it
becomes available.

Wolff said the Grafton State
Bank building is owned by David Downey, who
would like to sell it and another nearby
building for redevelopment, but wishes to do
it responsibly for a development that would
fit the town.

Wolff said also that there
has been damage to the interior of the
building, and it is in “difficult
condition.”

In the south commercial
district, the sites discussed were Sonrisa
and the old Pick ’n Save. Wolff said the
Sonrisa site has potential, but because of
its location and shape, does offer some
challenges to finding the right
redevelopment project.

The
former Sonrisa restaurant, 2185 Wisconsin Ave., was also
home to Senior Luna.Photo by Mark Justesen

The former Pick ‘n Save on
Wisconsin Avenue offers greater challenges,
according to the CDA discussion. While the
tenants on the property in smaller spaces
seem committed, according to Wolff, the Pick
’n Save store has been vacant for years. A
CDA member asked if it could be redeveloped
with tax incremental financing, but Wolff
said redevelopment would not likely increase
the property’s value enough for that to be
feasible.

“This is definitely one of
our most challenging sites,” Wolff said.

The CDA is scheduled to meet
again next month in closed session. She said
they have not given staff specific direction
yet, but intend to strategize on how to
proceed with the potential development
sites.